In the late 1800’s Horatio Spafford had lost just about everything as a result of “The Great Fire of Chicago.” Shortly thereafter Spafford decided to take his family on vacation to England. At the last moment he was delayed on business, but Spafford sent his wife and four daughters (ages 2-11) ahead on the ship Ville du Havre. There was a collision at sea with another vessel and all Spafford’s daughters died. His wife, Anna, survived and sent a two-word telegram back to her husband, “Survived alone.”
The tragedy of this event motivated Spafford to pen the lyrics to “It is Well With My Soul,” a small portion of which follows:
The tragedy of this event motivated Spafford to pen the lyrics to “It is Well With My Soul,” a small portion of which follows:
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul.
Suffering great pain and loss within NON-Christian world-views provides little, if any, comfort. The human default seems to be to use pain, loss, and suffering as "proof" God does NOT exist. Adversity is oft used to finalize the exchange of the knowledge of God for lies whispered by the Adversary, the Accuser, the Enemy who comes to kill, steal, and destroy.
Maybe in the depths of suffering it is easier to reconcile tragedy and pain in a random, pointless, mindless, heartless, and aimless cosmos than one governed by a "supposedly" omnipotent and omnibenevolent Sovereign.
People often deduce, “If God has the ability to fix things right now, but doesn’t... He’s got to be incompetent, maniacal, or fictitious.” In the minds of many unbelievers this kind of god is NOT worthy of worship, faith, or further consideration of any kind.
The atheist proudly bellows, "Where was your God on that one?" We have a defense ready in seasons of blessing but quickly tap out under the duress of adversity.
Maybe in the depths of suffering it is easier to reconcile tragedy and pain in a random, pointless, mindless, heartless, and aimless cosmos than one governed by a "supposedly" omnipotent and omnibenevolent Sovereign.
People often deduce, “If God has the ability to fix things right now, but doesn’t... He’s got to be incompetent, maniacal, or fictitious.” In the minds of many unbelievers this kind of god is NOT worthy of worship, faith, or further consideration of any kind.
The atheist proudly bellows, "Where was your God on that one?" We have a defense ready in seasons of blessing but quickly tap out under the duress of adversity.
The Bible’s King David suffered alienation and rejection by his own father. David was neglected and ridiculed by his own brothers. He was the target of King Saul’s anger, wrath, and assassination attempts. David lost his best friends, was betrayed by his closest counselors, was scorned and mocked by his wife for his faith, buried one of his sons… and the list goes on and on.
Despite all this, David wrote, “It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.” David is NOT saying suffering was awesome because he got to memorize the Ten Commandments or participate in a religious system. No. David is saying that through adversity and loss he learned about God and His "huq-qe-kah," meaning allotment, boundaries, portion, or custom, i.e. the CUSTOM of God's perfect character.
Despite all this, David wrote, “It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.” David is NOT saying suffering was awesome because he got to memorize the Ten Commandments or participate in a religious system. No. David is saying that through adversity and loss he learned about God and His "huq-qe-kah," meaning allotment, boundaries, portion, or custom, i.e. the CUSTOM of God's perfect character.
David learned of God’s custom of accepting humanity as rejects, aliens, orphans, and the marginalized THROUGH his, David's, own rejection time-and-time-again.
David would have never learned the amplitude of God’s compassion had it not been for the ridicule and neglect from his own family. David would have never learned the profundity of God’s faithfulness had it not been for the treachery and betrayal of his own family, friends, and counselors. David would have never learned the intensity of God’s mercy had it not been for his own sin (idolatry, lust, adultery, murder, etc.) and failures.
David would have never learned the amplitude of God’s compassion had it not been for the ridicule and neglect from his own family. David would have never learned the profundity of God’s faithfulness had it not been for the treachery and betrayal of his own family, friends, and counselors. David would have never learned the intensity of God’s mercy had it not been for his own sin (idolatry, lust, adultery, murder, etc.) and failures.
As David looked back over all of the events of his life- he did not dwell on the pain of betrayal but on the joy of God’s faithfulness. Not on the agony of loss – but the joy of God’s allotment. Not on imagined boundaries of life's "forbidden fruit" – but the abundant life, joy, purpose, and victory available in God alone.
All of this was gained through the crystal clear lens of tragedy, loss, and suffering. It led David to write in all sincerity and veracity, “It was GOOD for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.”
All of this was gained through the crystal clear lens of tragedy, loss, and suffering. It led David to write in all sincerity and veracity, “It was GOOD for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.”
Like David, Job suffered. Job lost virtually everything – all his children, flocks, homes, servants, and then was afflicted with a skin disease that would make poison ivy feel like a soothing spa soak… After God appeared and spoke – Job’s only comment was, “Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.”
I am wholeheartedly convinced that when the grace of Christ comes upon us the weight of God’s glory demolishes all arguments and opposition. When grace comes through tragedy, pain, suffering, and affliction – then we, like Job, who formerly and confidently shook our verbal fists at what we believed to be an incompetent, vindictive, and unjust God – are forever silenced in the awesome presence of The Almighty.
Pain, loss, and suffering hurt for a reason. Superficial joy, happiness, and peace wax & wane for the same reason this side of eternity. As C.S. Lewis wrote, “…they are only the scent of a flower we have not found, the echo of a tune we have not heard, news from a country we have never yet visited.”
Trials are our tutors, teachers, and counselors – pointing NOT to the absurdity of futile evolutionary, pragmatic, or naturalistic worldviews, but to the reality of our Creator calling, pleading, begging us with nail-pierced arms outstretched to come home.
God doesn’t promise our walk with Him this side of heaven will be comfortable, painless, easy, or lavish. In fact He PROMISES the exact opposite for a brief moment (1 Pet 1:6-7).
Trials are our tutors, teachers, and counselors – pointing NOT to the absurdity of futile evolutionary, pragmatic, or naturalistic worldviews, but to the reality of our Creator calling, pleading, begging us with nail-pierced arms outstretched to come home.
God doesn’t promise our walk with Him this side of heaven will be comfortable, painless, easy, or lavish. In fact He PROMISES the exact opposite for a brief moment (1 Pet 1:6-7).
Then, in the blink of an eye, mourning turns to dancing (Ps 30:11), grief turns to joy (John 16:20), and every wrong redeemed as Jesus, the Lamb of God, is "making everything new!"
When God’s grace comes upon us then we, like the Apostle Paul, will “consider our [previous] sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that [is now] revealed in us” because those past “light and momentary troubles [achieved] for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”
When God’s grace comes upon us then we, like the Apostle Paul, will “consider our [previous] sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that [is now] revealed in us” because those past “light and momentary troubles [achieved] for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”
It is good for us to experience affliction by God's design. It teaches us about the riches of His nature and character eternally overflowing with grace, mercy, kindness, and love.
It teaches us, and brings us to a place, like Job, David, and Horatio Spafford, despite horrific tragedy and unspeakable misfortune - to be able to sing
"Whatever my lot, it is well with my soul."
Blessings,
Kevin M. Kelley
aMostUnlikelyDisciple.com
aMostUnlikelyDisciple.com
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